Insect infestations in certain cotton-growing regions of the world have caused dramatic increases in the price of cotton on the world market. By contrast, the price of soybeans has long remained stable. Knowing that cotton plants mature quickly, many soybean growers in Ortovia plan to cease growing soybeans and begin raising cotton instead, thereby taking advantage of the high price of cotton to increase their income significantly, at least over the next several years.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the plan’s chances for success?

A. The cost of raising soybeans has increased significantly over the past several years and is expected to continue to climb.

B. Tests of a newly developed, inexpensive pesticide have shown it to be both environmentally safe and effective against the insects that have infested cotton crops.

C. In the past several years, there has been no sharp increase in the demand for cotton and for goods made out of cotton.

D. Few consumers would be willing to pay significantly higher prices for cotton goods than they are now paying.

E. The species of insect that has infested cotton plants has never been known to attack soybean plants.

Answer:B But personally, I prefer D, which means that high priced cotton will not get market, let alone high profit for planters.

D答案中的写到：只有很少的现在的消费者将来愿意花费“significantly higher"的价格去买棉花。我认为这句话说明：他们有可能乐于花费"higher price that is not significant"将来去买棉花，这样也会使棉花价格上涨。相对那些从种大豆转到种棉花的人来说，他们也会“to increase their income significantly”。

个人体会：要找到导致棉花上涨的根本原因---虫子滋生。所以消灭虫子将是最有力的方法。

呵呵，我和楼上想的差不多

那么D:因为虫害导致的价格上涨的棉花没有市场，需求不会增加，soybean growers 不会转向种植棉花。也是WEAKEN呀。THANKS.

由于棉花成熟得比 soybean 快，soybean growers 转种棉花以后可以较快地获得利润。